2 hours ago, DRW50 said:

I had forgotten about the doppelganger story until now, but what I watched I didn't think was that bad. It's some of the other stuff [...] that were mistakes.

My issue with the doppelganger storyline - aside from the fact that Susan Lucci is not strong enough as an actor to play a double role (one viewing of "Double Edge" taught us all that lesson, lol) - was that Erica's doppelganger was someone we'd never met before and had no connection with Erica other than being some obsessed fan, or something.

And as for the "Phantom of the Erica" storyline: my issue there was and is the same issue I always have with this kind of story.  We know Erica is not going to be disfigured for the rest of her life, so what's the point?  It might've provided an opportunity for Erica to realize how she had taken her beauty for granted; to really "work on herself," as it were, and see how much more she had to offer the world besides her looks.  But I'd watch enough of this show to know better, lol.

Edited February 17Feb 17 by Khan

7 hours ago, DRW50 said:

@Maxim I think these are some of the first comments on Karen that amount to more than just saying she was a failed character, so I appreciate reading them. A great description of Ellen Wheeler's profile as well. 

I always figured Agnes was the reason for David/Lainie as she kept redoing the star-crossed young couple story through her run, to diminishing returns. I know Paige Turco went on to a respected run on NYPD Blue, but she always seemed very bland to me in her soap work. Not bad, but bland. 

I agree 100 percent. And I would use the same word to describe the pairing of Lanie and David and the writing for it -  it's not bad per se, but bland. I actually liked it at the beginning, but... now months into it and so far...  I haven't seen anything... that isn't done better in other shows I've watched. And overall they are so predictable and basic. 

 

10 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

April does sound like the start of Depriests 6 to 7 month stint as headwriter.  She was hired to reset the show since the network stated that there were too many stories and characters.

The things I noticed she did that I liked was dropping Barbara/Tad...and moving her back into the Travis/Erica/Jack orbit.  Also dropping Skye/Travis, showing the reality of Jeremy enjoying the chase, Natalie becoming a bit more like how she was in 1985 where she was desperate for Jeremy, and I liked that Dixie/Tad started up.

Lanie/David/Cecily/Julie/Nico was an attempt to revive the teen set...which was popular in the 70s and early 80s.  I think Lanie was an attempt at being like Nina was...sheltered and sweet.  Once Agnes comes back, the teen set improves a bit.

I find the show to be sooo crowded right now. So many characters, so much talking and talking and talking. 1988 had entirely different vibe - especially the first 3-4 months. The scripts were better in my opinion. Right now they desperately need editing and cutting of the dialogue, because it's overwhelmingly busy and sloppy at times. I swear there are moments where Cecily doesn't stop talking and is bla-bla-bla-bla-bla for 4-5 minutes at a time. Maybe some people like that style of Woody Allen-movie non stop talking, but I have a point after I just... start tuning out of the constant unimportant babble. And maybe someone will say - that's the character, but I disagree - you can write someone being chatty without boring the viewers out of their mind. If you write it with wit and originality, you won't have such problems. But again, maybe I'm just tired of the youngsters and need a break from them. Who knows... the fact is I didn't have problem with the teen-storylines in 1988... but in 1989 - now I do. 

And Julie has been basically written out in 1989. I liked her in 1988, but in 1989 they just lost her and I preferred her written out than turning her into a basic housewife to Niko. It was kinda cringe for a moment.

 

Edited February 17Feb 17 by Maxim

36 minutes ago, Maxim said:

And Julie has been basically written out in 1989. I liked her in 1988, but in 1989 they just lost her and I preferred her written out than turning her into a basic housewife to Niko. It was kinda cringe for a moment.

Lauren Holly went on a break to make a movie with Andrew Dice Clay. After all the buildup with Nico it must have been disappointing to them, but I don't think that story was ever very interesting. Julie was so tied to characters who were all on their last legs, although that didn't have to be the case with Ellen and Mark, with better handling and more patience.

I agree that the large cast seems much more wisely utilized in the 87/early 88 episodes.

Edited February 17Feb 17 by DRW50

Well, to me, you have to factor in the back and forth created by going from Agnes or Agnes-like stories contrasted with the anti-Agnes stories. Megan McTavish I am looking at you. 

And then, too, you have the problems mentioned upthread of any very long-running star of any US soap.

19 hours ago, DemetriKane said:

They did, He was saved by a bed mattress 🤣.

Interesting!  

On 2/15/2025 at 2:01 PM, Efulton said:

I just finished this entire thread.

I admire your tenacity and patience to read more than 600 pages.

I have to confess that I've read this AMC thread only sporadically and moreso in recent months.
I joined SON  5 years ago and mostly followed the the threads for the current soaps, (even though I watched AMC and OLTL's early years).

As I am someone addicted to history, if I started reading all the threads here, I'd literally forget to eat and sleep. So I had to curtail myself.  My admiration goes out to anyone who can handle it better than I can.
 

I certainly believe we got Matriarch Erica in the last few years. A very unconventional one! She dished out advice while still having her own adventures. 

They just never had a clear vision of what to do with her that's why anything good ever lasts. I.E. Her talk show.

I didn't mind her battling Greenlee In Business especially when Liza was involved with Fusion. Similar stories could have also been told with Julie Chandler, and caused all kinds of conflict with her dear brother Mark. 

There was untapped material with her meddling in Kendall's children's lives, I think people forgot Erica always wanted a son before having Bianca. 

I hate that the throughline of Erica becoming Phoebe was lost!

 

@Maxim I can't wait to read your reactions to the characters that are let go. It was a true bloodbath I personally didn't like it. Ross and Julie never should have left this canvas IMO.

And I agree with you about letting go of Silver Kane.

Edited February 17Feb 17 by DemetriKane

18 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

I think the Erica face scar story where she walked around in the phantom of the Opera mask was the final nail in the coffin for her character.

It was as if the show had run out of stuff to tell about her...and just let her act delusional about her appeal. 

Oh my, I absolutely loved this storyline! It had some gothic tones, which I always enjoyed whenever All My Children incorporated them. I also appreciated that Erica's scars were never shown beneath the mask—whenever David dressed her wounds, the audience never got to see them. That added a great sense of mystery to the story.

Edited February 17Feb 17 by Jonathan

On 2/17/2025 at 10:20 PM, DemetriKane said:

 

@Maxim I can't wait to read your reactions to the characters that are let go. It was a true bloodbath I personally didn't like it. Ross and Julie never should have left this canvas IMO.

And I agree with you about letting go of Silver Kane.

💗

Ah, I'm excited by your comment... hearing that there is going to be a huge cleanse. The show is so crowded right now, I'm dying for room to breathe. I am on the other side when it comes to Ross and Julie - I think their time is up. But once again - I am a newbie and my impressions are not 100 percent correct. I haven't seen the history of these characters, so it's easy for me to let go of them. I also think Niko and Cecily's time is up too. They should go. And I also don't like Jeremy's ex wife at all. Like at all. She needs to go. As soon as she arrived, she needs to disappear. 

Due to just... work and life happening - planning birthdays.... anniversaries, tralalalala, I haven't had time to binge-watch as much, but I am up to April 28th! 

The appalling duo of Barbara and Travis are attempting to take-over Erica's business. Jackson allowed them to do it just to SPITE Erica. I managed to finally get to the iconic - I wrote the book... comment... that I had only seen previously in a compilation clip on youtube.

I LOOOOVED IT. Susan Lucci has been BRINGING it these past few episodes. She is basically saving the show for me. Keeping it dynamic and interesting and recognizable. (Since to me 1989 has been a contrast to 1988 in terms of tone, atmosphere, writing... everything, and not a good contrast I may add). People who underestimate her talents and bash her... don't know what they are talking about. 

The other storylines (Boring Romeo and Juliet Vs Evil Uncle, Boring Ex-wife in danger action-thriller etc) are not working for me, with the exception of Dixie/Tad/Adam/Brooke, but even that storyline is becoming too repetitive right now. We'll see if they clean it up soon. I am just tired of seeing Dixie cry and talk about God. She should have thought about God before f-cking a married man and getting pregnant by him. 

 

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Maxim

Barbara never had a good hair day...

@Maxim if you ever get to 1993 there's an Opal and Dixie scene you would love. 

Edited February 19Feb 19 by DRW50

It has always struck me that Susan Lucci and Erica Kane are a case of an actress and a character who are so beloved by the audience but the writers never really knew what to do with her. Lucci was rarely if ever challenged to do anything interesting. The writing for her character was very surface and shallow. I understand that was built into the character, but at a certain point, a character needs to grow. When you look at her emmy clips compared to other actresses, it's almost laughable at times. When they did give her meatier material, she could do it, but it was never sustained. 

14 hours ago, Maxim said:

I LOOOOVED IT. Susan Lucci has been BRINGING it these past few episodes. She is basically saving the show for me. Keeping it dynamic and interesting and recognizable. (Since to me 1989 has been a contrast to 1988 in terms of tone, atmosphere, writing... everything, and not a good contrast I may add). People who underestimate her talents and bash her... don't know what they are talking about. 

Well, Maxim, not everyone loves La Lucc. She is among the many of select daytime divas who while they get a ton of love, they also get some dislike all the way through to haters. Lucci, Deidre, KKL, I could go on. 

14 hours ago, Maxim said:

The other storylines (Boring Romeo and Juliet Vs Evil Uncle, Boring Ex-wife in danger action-thriller etc) are not working for me, with the exception of Dixie/Tad/Adam/Brooke, but even that storyline is becoming too repetitive right now. We'll see if they clean it up soon. I am just tired of seeing Dixie cry and talk about God. She should have thought about God before f-cking a married man and getting pregnant by him. 

Oh, no, poor Dixie! She must not be singing "You Are My Sunshine" yet then. 

It's altogether 'kerect, proper & things are okay in the universe if Erica is the one bringing it right now for you!!

Also, enjoyed the fan review. 

I haven't updated you guys in a looong time.🙃  Nearly a week! Before going away for my birthday though... I managed to watch quite a lot... and then I came back to AMC yesterday evening with a 2-3 hour marathon before sleep!

So let's begin, shall we! 🐍

May started with FIREWORKS! The Dixie/Adam saga reached a tasty climax when Brooke finally found out the truth - her disgusting white-haired jerk of a husband penetrated the all so innocent looking Bible-holding villager - Dixie. And got her PREGNANT! 

Brooke HARDCORE unleashed on both Adam and Dixie... and then exited dramatically... leaving Adam alone with his disturbing hallucinations of a veiled entity walking around the house. That's what you get for f-cking with Brooke English.

The only people that are still around are Stuart and the Devil herself - Karen... smiling and giggling while people's worlds collapse. She, let's not forget... was the instigator of all this reveal happening.

Brooke, after getting hit by a car... in quite the unintentionally comedic scene... found solace at Tom's (who wouldn't 😈) and then immediately filed for divorce. Good girl! Adam tried to crawl and beg, but Brooke was unflinching! BRAVA! Finally a soap opera character that doesn't act like a pathetic doormat!

Then the selfish jerk moved ASAP to manipulating Dixie again and asked her to marry him. She said "No" - prepped by her brother, sisters and Tad who looks to be falling in love with her. Desperate for attention... Adam faked a suicide attempt, gaslighting Dixie into giving him a second chance.. She, the stupid and naive girl that she is... finally gave in and said Yes.

The other storyline that really took a turn for the better was the Natalie/Jeremy and the ex from the past thriller-series. Marissa and Palmer are working together to drive a wedge between the newly married couple. Jeremy confessed to Natalie that in a moment of passion he was tempted to f-ck Marissa (now that is something you should never tell your spouse even if you are sworn to always telling the truth LOL), but he... managed to control himself. How noble of him and his penis! Natalie was supposed to be... what Thankful? That he spared her a potential STD!? 

Of course... that triggered Natalie the f-ck out! She started he own revenge campaign with the help of her lovely and always stunning friend Donna. Natalie called Deportation offices and reported Marissa for being an illegal alien. (Ooops) She then had to give the police proof that Marissa was illegal! In a very suspenseful scene Natalie went into Marissa's room at the Valley Inn! Lo and behold... who was waiting for her at the door - EVIL Palmer! Meaw.

 

That's where I am at! I will continue later today after work! 

So far May has been times and times better than mid to late April, even though there are still some messy storylines - Nico and Cecily's fake wedding-comedy stuff was really annoying and not my cup of tea. Couple of cute moments was all that I got from it. And mid 20s Maurice Bernard being shirtless all the time. That's all there was. 

The Erica/Travis drama is in some sort of a pause right now, which I understand since Erica pretty much dominated months of storyline. 

 

 

 

 

On 2/19/2025 at 11:09 PM, Contessa Donatella said:

Oh, no, poor Dixie! She must not be singing "You Are My Sunshine" yet then. 

She is only crying and holding the Bible asking Jesus to help her deal with the aftermath of f-cking a married man. As if Jesus doesn't have better things to do! 

Edited February 24Feb 24 by Maxim

Happy birthday @Maxim

Natalie is never really the same to me without her flowing hair.